


Hearts Will Be Glowing

by lookingfortherainbow



Series: Advent Calendar Fics of 2020 [4]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Adopted Children, Domestic Fluff, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gay Parents, Kid Fic, M/M, Older Liam Payne, Older Zayn Malik, Schmoop, Snow Day, Snowball Fight, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, one actually, think in their thirties, this is the fluffiest thing ive ever written
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:14:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27882090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookingfortherainbow/pseuds/lookingfortherainbow
Summary: Pihu squealed, climbing on him before the other older two followed in dogpiling on top of Liam. Snorting, Zayn took a quick snap of his little family with his phone, knowing he’d add it to their huge collection of photos on the walls in their mansion. No wall would be left bare of family memories if Zayn had anything to say about it.*Or, snow days make for epic snowball fights and Liam is Zayn's and their children's main target. As usual.
Relationships: Zayn Malik/Liam Payne
Series: Advent Calendar Fics of 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037256
Comments: 8
Kudos: 48





	Hearts Will Be Glowing

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo much fluff ahead. Like, read with caution. There's so much. A lot. It's sickening, really. I'm exposing my need for domesticity in real life, at this point. Let's call it a side-effect of the pandemic. 
> 
> Bachche = Children  
> Jaan = My life, Darling  
> Pita = Father  
> Enjoy!! <3

“Ok, when I yell go, and Daddy’s out of his car on his way to the door, you shoot all the snowballs you’ve made at him!” Zayn instructed, blinking through the snowflakes that clung to the ends of his eyelashes as he looked at his three little bachche staring up at him. 

He had laid out the plan to attack Liam when he got home from his boxing training. Hani, the oldest child that had more of Liam’s traits than his surrogate mother’s, rubbed at the snot pouring from his cute nose, sniffling loudly in the cold. All three of them had red noses, but Zayn made sure to bundle them up nicely before they’d ventured into the snow. They were giddy with their assignment, but Zayn made a mental note to make hot chocolate and tea for when they went back in the house. He didn’t want any of them catching a cold. 

It was a snow day, and Hani, being nine, and Zara, being eight, had the day off from school. Pihu, their little adopted baby, who was only five, had every day off to spend with Zayn. Liam made enough from his professional boxing career to support them--enough that Zayn could stay home and not send their littlest to daycare or kindergarten. That wasn’t to say that Zayn didn’t have his own career, because he did. He spent his days roaming the house muttering words and phrases until they formed beautiful poems and songs, and he’d been lucky enough to find a little slice of fortune amongst a niche community that bought his books. His favorite part of staying home, though, was watching Pihu grow before his eyes. 

“I hear him coming right now!” Zara shouted, taking the initiative and running to hide behind her fortress. 

Like Hani, Zara was had taken more after Zayn’s DNA than her own surrogate mother’s and Zayn thought it was the best blessing from Allah they could’ve received that it had turned out that way for them. 

Following in her footsteps as they often did, the other two ran to their own piles. Zayn hid behind his, ignoring the ache in his bones from the cold. His heart was warm, and he knew that feeling would only spread once he could get his arms around his husband. After twelve years of marriage, Zayn still found it hard to be away from Liam for too long--Hours felt like days, days when he was on a boxing tournament felt like months. Love was a bit inconvenient in that way, but Zayn wouldn’t have it any other way. 

He and the bachche had built loads of snow mounds in their huge front yard, piled tall enough that Liam wouldn’t be able to know whether they were hiding behind them or not. It was noon, and Zayn couldn’t believe how much they’d accomplished in two hours. The snow was still falling, the sky grey, and Zayn hoped Wolverhampton’s stormy weather would continue, because these snow days provided such precious bonding time. 

In a minute, Liam’s shiny black car was pulling through the automated metal gates, tires crunching through the snow on the drive. From a snow pile over, Zayn heard Pihu’s giggle and couldn’t help how his huge grin only grew wider as he crouched. They all stayed put as they listened to the garage door open, a car door opening and closing and Zayn’s footsteps on the cement in the garage. To anyone else it’d be creepy how Zayn could time when Liam was halfway around his car--most exposed to the front yard--but it was natural to Zayn. 

“Go, bachche, go!” He yelled, popping up his head and flinging snowballs so fast his arms ached. 

Liam started yelling, and screams, giggling and laughter erupted from the other fortresses as their kids assaulted him with snowballs. Running out of his prepared snowballs, Zayn leapt over his wall. Scooping up more snow as he ran to get closer to his target, he threw half-formed snow at Liam who was red in the face from laughing so hard. Spinning around in circles only served to show off the spots where he’d gotten shot on his black puffer jacket. 

“I surrender, I surrender!” He yelled, hands up. 

“Show him no kindness!” Zayn commanded his little army as they stumbled and fell their way through the thick snow, following Zayn in throwing handfuls of snow at their Daddy.

Liam ran to the corner, trying to defend himself, and threw a soft snowball at Zayn’s shoulder. 

“Aha! Gotcha!” He cheered, grin so large as he threw his arms in the air that his eyes were only adorable slits. 

Carrying a tiny snowball over her head, Pihu ran right up to him and squashed it against his knee, giving a little shriek.

“Et tu, Brute?” Liam asked dramatically, falling into the snow like he’d been shot by a real bullet. 

Pihu squealed, climbing on him before the other older two followed in dogpiling on top of Liam. Snorting, Zayn took a quick snap of his little family with his phone, knowing he’d add it to their huge collection of photos on the walls in their mansion. No wall would be left bare of family memories if Zayn had anything to say about it. 

“Pita! Pita! Come help us, he’s trying to get up!” Hani called to him, little arm waving, his glove lost somewhere in the fight. 

Liam was flailing his limbs, making bear-like noises, and Zayn couldn’t help giggling as he flattened himself over the other man, slipping ice cold snow around his neck. Shrieking, Liam struggled to get up for real. Zayn revelled in the look of his red lips opening in a gasp, warm eyes widening comically. 

“I’m gonna kill you,” Liam promised as Zayn rolled off to the side of him, voice all breath and huffed laughter. 

“Pita already did that to you, Daddy,” Zara pointed out, giggling and falling over his leg in glee. 

Her dads laughed at her, and Liam picked her up, settling her on his outstretched leg, suffocating her in a bear hug. 

“Me too, me too! I wanna hug!” Hani jumped up and down, clapping his hands. 

“C’mere then!” Liam chuckled. “You too, Pihu, no more hitting Daddy with snowballs. You won,” Liam told their youngest who had started forming more snow. 

She grinned big, saying, “I won, I won,” to herself as she skipped into Liam’s arms, snowballs forgotten. 

“Is this going to become a routine?” Liam asked, turning to him as he squished his kids. Just the other day he’d been met with the same welcome home gift of lesser extravagance. There weren’t any snow fortresses that day.

“Mmm,” Zayn hummed, cocking his head before leaning in to whisper, “Depends on if you aren’t too exhausted to keep up with me in bed tonight.”

Liam chuckled darkly at that, the noise scraping against his lower belly. “I’ll try not to let you down, Jaan.”

He cupped Zayn’s face with cold, wet fingers, taking in his beautiful face before leaning in and placing a searing, soft kiss to his lips. Zayn’s ass was wet from sitting in the snow for so long, but the warmth from Liam’s lips and hot breath that tickled him where his nose pressed against his skin, made him warm from head to toe. 

Before Liam completely pulled away, Zayn leaned in for two more pecks, before getting up. “Hot chocolate and coffee time!”

Zara and Pihu cheered, running and sliding their way to the front door. Hastily, Liam got up, running after them to make sure they didn’t fall. Watching him fondly as he took their hands and slowed them down, Zayn then looked down at Hani. 

“You’re making coffee now?” He asked, grabbing his Pita’s outstretched hand. 

They made the short journey to the front door that Liam was holding open for them, the warm blast of heated air enveloping their cold limbs and cheeks. 

“I am,” Zayn said, ushering him inside. 

Liam was beaming at him and Hani, and Zayn’s stomach did a little flip. It never got old--being admired by the one person your heart had chosen over everyone else in the world. How lucky was he? 

Shaking himself out of his reverie, Liam dropped to his knees to help the girls out of their tiny snowgear. 

“But you made coffee in the morning,” Hani continued, as Zayn took his soaked-through gloves and hat from him. 

Hani was always so inquisitive, extremely independent for his age, but never too proud to turn down help from his parents. Zayn watched with pride as their boy hung his jacket up neatly in the closet, putting his boots away in perfect alignment with all the others on their shoe rack. 

“I know. But Daddy has a long night ahead of him and he needs coffee to keep him awake.” Zayn explained, smirking at Liam who had moved behind him. 

Discreetly, so smooth that the kids wouldn’t be able to see, Liam bit him gently on the neck, squeezing his ass as he continued on his way to the kitchen to start heating the milk for the hot chocolate. Zayn had sharp enough hearing to pick up on the little chortle he let out at Zayn’s stifled gasp. 

“Why does Daddy have a long night ahead of him,” Hani asked, turning to follow Liam. 

The girls followed him, skipping and twirling alongside him.

“Maybe he’s going to help Santa with our gifts,” Zara thought out loud. 

“Santa’s not real, silly,” Hani said matter-of-factly. 

“I know, but I like to pretend. ‘Sides, you don’t really  _ know _ that.”

“Do too.”

“Do not.”

Zayn laughed as he brought up the rear of the little group, shining eyes that belonged to the man his heart loved met his gaze, and he quickened his pace to wrap his arms around him. 

The snow continued through the night, the sight beautiful through the windows as they watched movies and baked cookies together. Their bellies full of hot chocolate, coffee, cookies, and spicy curry with rice, they retired to bed. Sleepy kisses were placed on scruffy cheeks, and little foreheads were kissed, gentle words of love wrapping them up just as small bodies were tucked in to plush blankets. 

And Zayn was glad their room was all the way down the hall because Liam did not let him down and love was not only soft like the snow falling outside, but loud too, like the beating of his heart as Liam finally turned off the bedside lamp, and wrapped his sweaty body up in his strong arms.

**Author's Note:**

> If you'd like to reblog the little fic post I made for this series, [click here](https://andtheywerebandmates.tumblr.com/post/636606796721717248/its-december-and-i-wanted-to-do-something)
> 
> Thank you to all who've read, commented, and left kudos! <333


End file.
